Machines such as dozers, motor graders, wheel loaders, excavators, etc., are used to perform a variety of tasks. For example, these machines may be used to move material at a work site. The machines may operate in an autonomous or semi-autonomous manner to perform these tasks in response to commands generated as part of a work plan for the machines. The machines may receive instructions in accordance with the work plan to perform operations including digging, loosening, carrying, etc., different materials at the work site such as those related to mining, earthmoving and other industrial activities.
Autonomously operated machines may remain consistently productive without regard to a human operator or environmental conditions. In addition, autonomous systems may permit operation in environments that are unsuitable or undesirable for a human operator. Autonomous or semi-autonomous systems may also compensate for inexperienced human operators as well as inefficiencies associated with repetitive tasks.
Material movement plans are often developed by a planning system or module. A plurality of variables may be set or determined that affect the planning system and impact the material movement plan. In some instances, an operator may desire to change the manner in which a machine is operating at the work site.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,639,393 discloses a machine for moving material including various sensors and an offboard planner. The offboard planner may generate an excavation plan based upon a characteristic of an intended work area, a characteristic of the machine, and a desired change in the intended work area. The machine may be operated autonomously based upon input from the sensors and the excavation plan.
The foregoing background discussion is intended solely to aid the reader. It is not intended to limit the innovations described herein, nor to limit or expand the prior art discussed. Thus, the foregoing discussion should not be taken to indicate that any particular element of a prior system is unsuitable for use with the innovations described herein, nor is it intended to indicate that any element is essential in implementing the innovations described herein. The implementations and application of the innovations described herein are defined by the appended claims.